1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of detachable covers for beds of pickup trucks and the like, and more particularly to the field of segmented covers for such truck beds.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There is disclosed, for example, in applicants' prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,188, which issued on Apr. 22, 1980 and is titled "VEHICLE ACCESSORY SYSTEM", a modular or segmented, easily installable and removable cover for beds of pickup trucks and the like. The cover panels or segments were disclosed to be constructed to form a rigid, relatively flat cover or an inverted U-shape "camper shell"; alternative shapes, including tool box shapes, were also disclosed. Rapid and easy panel segment installation and removal is enabled by flanged side legs of the panels which are configured to longitudinally slide along a pair of "C"-shaped channels mounted along uppermost surfaces of the truck bed side walls, one channel per truck bed side.
Ordinarily, a sufficient number of panels, for example, three or four, are slidably installed, one at a time, in the side channels so as to completely cover the truck bed. Transverse, flexible seals, fixed to panels at each panel-to-panel interface, are compressed to provide sealing against water, dirt, etc. when the truck tailgate is closed and the panels are longitudinally squeezed together. Closing the tail gate may also function to lock all the panels in the side channels; or, a separate, rear panel lock may be provided.
As discussed in the referenced patent, the disclosed, segmented truck bed cover has many important advantages over previously available single piece truck bed covers. For example, the segmented cover structure enables rapid, easy, one-person cover installation onto, and removal from, a pick up truck bed. In contrast, previously available, rigid, single piece truck bed covers are ordinarily very difficult, and often impossible, for one person alone to install and remove. Furthermore, an uninstalled set of the segmented cover panels can be conveniently stored in a relatively small space, as compared to space required for a corresponding single piece cover.
In spite of these and other benefits and advantages of the modular covers disclosed in applicants' U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,188, some deficiencies, to which this present invention is addressed, have been encountered.
For example, it has sometimes been found that good water and dirt sealing between all the flat-type panels of an installed modular truck bed cover set is difficult to achieve without using considerable time and effort. These sealing problems tend to occur when panel legs and/or the panel mounting channels are bent, nicked or otherwise deformed, or if the channels are blocked with dirt, snow or ice. The resulting panel jamming causes uneven seal compression forces to be applied to the various interpanel seals when the tailgate is closed. In this regard, it is to be appreciated that the interpanel latches disclosed in applicants' above identified patent for use with camper shell cover segments, and which assist in obtaining interpanel sealing, are not well adaptable to flat cover panels because of lack of access from within the covered truck bed needed to operate the latches.
Another problem also related to lack of positive, flat panel interconnection is that difficulties may sometimes be experienced with removal of the panels by only one person. Because the installed panels are ordinarily withdrawn from rearward ends of the side channels, each panel must be individually slid to the rear of the bed for removal. If, for reasons mentioned above, the panels do not freely slide in the channels, they are difficult to move rearwardly by one person outside the truck and the individual may inconveniently have to get into the truck bed to push the panels rearwardly. This is particularly difficult to do if the truck bed contains equipment, tools or other materials.
Furthermore, problems relating to securely retaining the cover panels in the mounting channels may sometimes occur. As an example, when panel retention is provided by the closed tailgate, if the tailgate of a moving truck accidentally opens, the panels may vibrate off, be lost, damaged and/or create a safety hazard to following vehicles. Also, with tailgate panel locking, the tailgate cannot be left open, as may be necessary to carry long loads such as long pipes or lumber. Even when the rearmost panel of a set has integral locking provisions, similar problems exist if this panel is removed to provide partial bed covering, for example, to permit carrying of articles or equipment which are too tall to fit under the cover panels.
For these and other reasons, applicants have invented improvements to the pickup bed covering apparatus disclosed in their above identified patent. These improvements include means for insuring a minimum seal compression between each adjacent pair of installed cover panels, to thereby improve weather and dirt sealing between the panels, as is important for protecting articles or material carried in the truck bed. At the same time, quick releaseable interlocking between each adjacent pair of installed panels is provided. This enables, during panel removal, all of the panels to be pulled rearwardly in unison, by pulling on the rearmost panel. This is particularly desirable in that it also enables easy access to forward regions of the truck bed, as is frequently necessary after quick vehicle stops have caused material carried in the bed to slide to the forward end of the bed.
In addition, applicants' improvements include disengageable panel locks to prevent accidental rearward sliding of installed cover panels out of rearward ends of the side channels. These locks also cooperate with interconnections between the panels to indicate when the interconnection can be released without panel damage.